Four Tigers Enjoy Summer Success
7/28/2011 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
July 28, 2011
Four Tigers have recently enjoyed success with their club teams at the national level. Caroline Stanley and Kaysie Clark won the U-18 ECNL (Elite Club National League) National Championship with their KCFC team. Saint Louis University transfer Allison Hu won The US Women's Open Cup with JB Marine SC out of St. Louis and Dallas Native Alyssa Diggs is currently with her Dallas Texans team preparing for US Youth Soccer National Championships after advancing to the national tournament after winning regionals.
"It was good to get to play some games before preseason because I hadn't played in a real game since mid-June," said Hu.
"After all of our training and working out here we were excited to play," said Stanley. "Since this was kind of our last club event we wanted to go out with a bang."
Stanley made her presence known during the semi-final game, where KCFC battle back from two goals down to tie the game and go to PK's.
"We won in PK's 3-1, she [Stanley] made three great saves," said Clark. "I was the fourth shooter and I didn't even have to go."
Diggs who is playing in the opening stages of her team's national tournament says the variety of players her team faces at this kind of tournament help her see the game in different ways.
"A lot of the girls are the best players from conferences all over the nation," said Diggs. "Playing players from teams in different conferences, helps improve your game because you have to think in new ways."
They all agree that playing in these types of tournaments help prepare them for the upcoming year at Mizzou.
"It got me excited to play with our Mizzou teammates in the fall," said Clark.
"This kind of tournament prepares us for the college game because of the pressure," said Stanley. "I love pressure, I thrive on the pressure."
"I felt confident and excited and ready to go into preseason," said Hu.
All four will be back in Columbia August 3 when preseason begins; the Tigers will play Illinois in a preseason game in Columbia on Friday, August 12.
